Means for moving heavy loads

ABSTRACT

Means for moving a heavy load comprising an inflatable support to be placed under an accessible part of the LOAD, a plurality of inflatable track elements to be arranged in abutting end to end relationship to provide an extended length of track over which the support can be dragged to move the load and anchoring means for securing the track element to the ground, the support and the track elements being of a flexible material and capable of expansion from an inoperative deflated condition to an operative extended condition by the admission of pressure fluid thereto.

nited States atent 72] Inventor Alexandre J. Cayre Codalming, England[21 Appl. No. 876,249 [22] Filed Nov. 13, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 23,1971 [73] Assignee RFD GQ Limited [32] Priority Nov. 18, 1968 [33] GreatBritain 13 l 54,673/68 [54] MEANS FOR MOVING HEAVY LOADS 4 Claims, 3Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 238/10 R, 14/28, 180/125, 254/2, 280/D1G. 7 [51] Int.Cl..E0lb23/l0 [50] Field of Search. 254/2; 238/10,l3,10 R;180/125;152/333; 14/27, 28, 29; 280/D1G. 7

156] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,832 7/1947 Gcaron14/21:

3/1962 Larson 280/D1G. 7

722,256 3/1903 Sheeler 238/13 1,966,428 7/1934 Brown 152/333 3,104,4969/1963 Macks 180/125 3,191,706 6/1965 Petersen 180/125 3,21 1,42510/1965 Grevlich et al. 254/2 (2) 3,411,637 11/1968 Lely 238/133,513,934 5/1970 Crowley 180/125 Primary Examiner- Drayton E. HofimanAssistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney-Watson, Cole, Grindle &Watson MEANS FOR MOVING lI-IEAVY LOADS This invention provides means formoving a heavy load, comprising a support to be placed under anaccessible part of the load and a track over which the support can bedragged to move the load, the support or the track (and preferably boththese components) being inflatable so that inflation thereof raises theload from the ground or other supporting surface prior to movement ofthe load on the support along the track.

This invention relates to means for moving heavy loads, particularlyloads such as crashed aircraft for example.

When an aircraft crashes at an airport and in doing so blocks a runway,it is usually imperative that the obstruction be removed as quickly aspossible. This frequently means that the aircraft is simply dragged awayalong the ground, with the result that considerable additional damagemay be caused to the wings and fuselage. Moreover because of the highdegree of friction between the aircraft and the ground, very powerfultowing vehicles are necessary. Alternatively, crashed aircraft aresometimes first raised from the ground and then lowered onto trucks forremoval, but this is a relatively slow process.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for moving aheavy load, and particularly although not exclusively a crashedaircraft, which means is capable of rapid operation wherein, moreover,the likelihood of damage to the load during movement thereof isvirtually eliminated.

According to the present invention, means for moving a heavy loadcomprises a support to be placed under an accessible part of the load,and a track over which the support can be dragged to move the load, thesupport or the track being an inflatable component made at least partlyof flexible material and capable of expansion from an inoperativedeflated condition to an operative expanded condition by the admissionof pressure fluid thereto.

Preferably, but not necessarily, both the support and the track areinflatable components capable of expansion as aforesaid.

The pressure fluid used to cause expansion of the support and/or trackmay be a gas (for example, air) or a liquid (for example, water orliquid soap) or a combination of the two; and the pressure fluid may bea liquid, such as a settable resin for example, which will solidifyafter injection into the inflatable component or components.

The support and the track may both be made from a "composite fabric," bywhich is meant a known material of the kind comprising at least twosuperimposed layers of fabric tied together by retaining threads for thepurpose of preventing separation of the layers beyond a predeterminedamount. When the support and track are both to be inflated by a gaseouspressure fluid, the layers of the composite fabric are selected so as tobe gas-impermeable.

However if liquid soap, for example, is to be used as the medium forexpanding the support, then the surface of the support that contacts thetrack as the support is dragged thereover is preferably made of porousmaterial (either inherently porous or rendered so by perforation) sothat liquid soap may exude from the expanded support and act to reducefriction during dragging; alternatively, but less desirably, liquid soapcan be used to expand the track, in which case the upper surface of thetrack is preferably made of porous material for the samefriction-reducing purpose. Thus when liquid soap is used as the pressurefluid, it can be made to perform the two-fold purpose of expanding theinflatable component or components and reducing friction therebetween.

Alternatively other friction-reducing means may be used. For example thecontacting surfaces of the track and support may be formed from, orprovided with a layer of, a material having a low coefficient offriction, such as nylon for example. As a still further alternative,casters, balls or rollers (preferably inflatable rollers) may beintroduced between the lower surface of the support and the uppersurface of the track.

Each of the components (that is the support and track) may be made up ofa number of standard elements joined together end to end or one aboveanother to give the necessary length or height as the case may be. Eachof such elements, when made expansible, and each of the compartmentsinto which it is preferably divided for safety purposes, is providedwith its own valve or valves for controlling admission of pressure fluidand, except in cases where a solidifying fluid is used, withdrawalthereof.

Two embodiments of the present invention will now be described ingreater detail and by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of spaced supports and tracks in accordance withthe present invention, in use during the removal of a crashed aircraft;

FIG. 2 is a section through the aircraft wing on the line II- II of FIG.1, showing the underlying support and track of a first embodiment, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but of a second embodiment of theinvention.

In the situation diagrammatically represented in FIG. I, use is made oftwo parallel tracks 1, each below a different one of the wings of theaircraft. Each track is made up of a number of inflatable elements laplaced end to end and fixed to the ground by anchoring means at 2. Theindividual elements la are each internally subdivided into compartmentsand each such compartment has its own valve 3 for controlling theadmission of pressure gas and the withdrawal thereof.

Similarly, each inflatable support 4, which is lashed to the appropriateaircraft wing by lines 5, is internally divided into compartments bypartitions 6 and each such compartment has its own valve 7 for theadmission and subsequent withdrawal of pressure gas. As will be seenbest from FIGS. 2 and 3 each support 4 is of general mattress shape whenexpanded. In FIG.

2 the outer wall of the support 4 is shown broken away at the right-handend to reveal the internal structure of the support; it will be seenfrom this FIG. that the support is made of a socalled composite fabricas defined above, the top and bottom fabric layers of the support beingtied together by a multiplicity of retaining threads 8. The tracks 1 areof the same internal structure.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the bottom surface of the support 4and the upper surface of the track I are respectively covered by layers9 and ll of nylon. Because of the low coefiicient of friction of thismaterial, the support 4 can be dragged over the track 1 with the minimumof friction.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, however, the layers 9 and 11 areomitted and their purpose is served by the interposition of rollers 12between the upper surface of the track and the bottom surface of thesupport 4. The rollers 12 are themselves inflatable and are articulatedby links 13.

In operation, whichever of these two embodiments is to be employed, theor each track 1 is laid down in its deflated condition under anaccessible part of the aircraft and the associated support 4, alsodeflated at this stage, is placed on top of the track; if the FIG. 3embodiment is to be used the rollers 12 (also uninflated) are, ofcourse, placed on the track before the support is positioned. The trackand support (and also the rollers 12, where applicable) are theninflated by the admission of pressure gas until they raise the aircraftfrom the ground, the components thereby jointly acting as a jack. Thesupport can then be dragged over the track, in the direction of thearrows in FIG. 1, bearing the load with it. The pulling force necessaryto move the support relatively to its respective track can be providedby any known means, for example a towing vehicle.

Although FIG. 1 shows a pair of spaced tracks, each with its ownload-bearing support 4, it will be appreciated that a single track andsupport may be sufficient for some loads; or alternatively that severalsupports may be employed on a single broad track.

It will be further appreciated that means according to the presentinvention can be introduced into locations which are inaccessible toconventional load-moving apparatus such as cranes for example. Moreoverinflation of the track, as in the preferred embodiments described above,provides an even regular surface over which the load can be moved,however rough and irregular the underlying terrain.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for moving a heavy load, comprising 5 support to be placedunder an accessible part of the load, a plurality of track elementsadapted to be arranged in abutting end-to-end relationship to provide anextended length of track over which the support can be dragged to movethe load and the track elements having anchoring means for securing theelements to the ground in said end-to-end relationship, the support andthe track elements being inflatable components made at least partly offlexible material and each being separately capable of expansion from aninoperative deflated condition to an operative expanded condition by theadmission of pressure fluid thereto, and rollers being interposedbetween the upper surface of the track and the bottom surface of thesupport.

2. Means according to claim 1, wherein the interposed rollers areinflatable.

3. Means according to claim 1, wherein the support is internallypartitioned into a number of compartments, each such compartment havinga separate valve to control the admission of pressure fluid thereto.

4. Means according to claim 1, wherein the track is made up of aplurality of standard elements placed end to end, each such elementbeing internally partitioned into a number of compartmentsand eachcompartment having a separate valve to control the admission of pressurefluid thereto.

t t l t i

1. Means for moving a heavy load, comprising a support to be placedunder an accessible part of the load, a plurality of track elementsadapted to be arranged in abutting end-to-end relationship to provide anextended length of track over which the support can be dragged to movethe load and the track elements having anchoring means for securing theelements to the ground in said end-to-end relationship, the support andthe track elements being inflatable components made at least partly offlexible material and each being separately capable of expansion from aninoperative deflated condition to an operative expanded condition by theadmission of pressure fluid thereto, and rollers being interposedbetween the upper surface of the track and the bottom surface of thesupport.
 2. Means according to claim 1, wherein the interposed rollersare inflatable.
 3. Means according to claim 1, wherein the support isinternally partitioned into a number of compartments, each suchcompartment having a separate valve to control the admission of pressurefluid thereto.
 4. Means according to claim 1, wherein the track is madeup of a plurality of standard elements placed end to end, each suchelement being internally partitioned into a number of compartments andeach compartment having a separate valve to control the admission ofpressure fluid thereto.